Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has added a team of private equity partners in London and New York from Sidley Austin, including members returning to the firm, being Gerald Brant, Jeffrey Kochian and Brittany Harrison from Sidley Austin (pictured). The other is Jonathon Hamill who is recruited for the London office.
The firm’s media statement announcing the move is below –
(New York) Akin announced today the arrival of a premier private equity team in New York and London including Gerald Brant, Jeffrey Kochian and Brittany Harrison—who are each returning to the firm—as well as Jonathon Hamill. The group delivers senior sponsor relationships, immediate depth and execution capability across the full spectrum of control private equity, complex mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and capital solutions transactions. Gerald Brant has been named head of Akin’s U.S. private equity practice.
Gerald Brant is a globally recognized advisor to some of the world’s leading private equity firms on platform acquisitions, carve-outs, divestitures and high-stakes transactional and governance matters. Widely regarded as a first-call advisor for transformative sponsor transactions and board-level situations, he is recognized by The Legal 500 for Private Equity Buyouts.
Jeffrey Kochian advises private equity sponsors, public companies and financial institutions on control acquisitions, complex M&A, joint ventures, corporate governance, capital markets and shareholder activism and defense. He has been consistently ranked by IFLR1000 as Highly Regarded across capital markets, private equity and M&A.
Jonathon Hamill advises private equity sponsors on leveraged buyouts, carve-outs and other complex transactions and is a market leader in the hybrid capital market across Europe; recognized by The Legal 500 UK 2026 for Private Equity: Transactions — High Value Deals (£500 million+).
Brittany Harrison advises leading private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies and public companies on complex control acquisitions, M&A transactions and structured investments.
“Private equity has become a multi-dimensional business, and the firms that lead will be those with the scale and integration to advise sponsors across strategies and structures. Gerald, Jeff, and their team massively accelerate our private equity growth strategy. This is a defining addition for our platform.” — Abid Qureshi, Co-Chair of Akin
“The most complex transactions today require counsel who can operate across the full capital structure—from control equity through hybrid capital and special situations. This team brings world-class execution and deep sponsor relationships to a platform already recognized for leadership in capital solutions and liability management. The combination is built for where the market is going.” — Dan Fisher, Co-Head of Akin’s Capital Solutions Practice
“I came back to Akin to help build something—a practice defined by the complexity of the work and the sophistication of the clients. Akin’s capital solutions platform is built for that reality—and this is the most powerful opportunity in the market to grow a premier and complementary private equity platform that meets our clients’ capital solutions needs.” — Gerald Brant
“I am thrilled to be back at Akin for so many reasons, but most importantly because it gives us the foundation to do what we do best—execute the most complex transactions for the most sophisticated clients in the market. Our ability to service our clients on this platform is unparalleled, while also giving us a significant opportunity to expand what we can offer.” — Jeffrey Kochian
The team’s recent representations include Apollo-managed funds in their definitive agreements to acquire Emerald Holding, Inc. and Questex, LLC and their acquisition of a majority stake in Prosol Group, and Spire in its acquisition of Tennessee Piedmont Natural Gas business from Duke Energy.
About Akin’s Private Equity Practice
Akin’s private equity practice advises leading global alternative asset managers, financial sponsors and public and private companies on the most complex M&A and corporate transactions in the market. The practice works in close coordination with the firm’s capital solutions, restructuring, tax and fund formation capabilities—delivering integrated advice across the full lifecycle of private capital deployment. Akin is a leading international law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
